Bitonic vs RoboSats

Bitonic is the oldest and largest Bitcoin-only broker in the Netherlands, founded in 2012, with a reputation for reliability and simplicity. They offer fast, automatic Bitcoin delivery via iDEAL, SEPA, and Bancontact, and their fully automated system ensures quick transfers.

It stands out with its direct purchase model, selling Bitcoin from its own stock for instant delivery and transparent pricing, avoiding third-party intermediaries. Bitonic offers buying, selling, and saving Bitcoin via iDEAL, SEPA, or Bancontact and provide an Auto Invest savings feature, allowing users to easily set up recurring Bitcoin purchases, (though only up to €250 | 271,023 sats) and a business solution for Bitcoin payments.

Its app, rated 4.5 stars on iOS, is praised for its clean, no-nonsense design, though some users report slow verification. The platform uses multi-signature cold storage for security and encourages self-custody with personal wallets.

Their vision focuses on making Bitcoin accessible and easy for Dutch and European users, backed by education through Bitonic Academy and news via Bitcoin.nl. Overall, Bitonic is ideal for beginners who want a reliable, no-altcoin platform in Europe, with fast transactions, clear pricing and a strong local support.

RoboSats is a privacy‑first, Lightning‑native peer‑to‑peer exchange for buying and selling bitcoin with fiat. It is open‑source, requires no registration or KYC, and runs primarily over Tor (with I2P and an Android app available). Each trade uses a one‑time “robot” identity tied to a secret token you control, and all peer chat is end‑to‑end encrypted with PGP. The flow is simple: make or take an order, both sides lock small Lightning bonds, the seller locks a Lightning hold‑invoice escrow, fiat moves, then sats are released.

What separates RoboSats is how deeply privacy and safety are built into the mechanics rather than bolted on. One‑trade identities reduce linkability across orders, PGP‑sealed chat prevents metadata leakage, and Lightning hold invoices act as both escrow and fidelity bonds to discourage cancellations and fraud. Pricing is transparent and market‑relative, fees are low at 0.2% split between maker and taker, and optional on‑chain payouts are handled via swaps. Clear best‑practice guides help users pick lower‑risk fiat rails and avoid chargeback traps.

The ideal audience is anyone who wants fast, low‑fee, no‑KYC bitcoin for modest amounts and is comfortable using Tor and a compatible Lightning wallet. Trade sizes are tuned to what routes reliably on Lightning today, which suits frequent smaller buys and sells. The UI is straightforward once you learn the token/robot model, and the documentation walks through wallet compatibility, order timing, disputes, and payment‑method hygiene to keep trades quick and clean.

RoboSats’ vision is to keep P2P bitcoin simple, private, and resilient, with a path toward a federated network of coordinators sharing a unified order book to reduce single‑operator risk while preserving the familiar UX.